militarywikiaorg-20200222-history
American Civil War Corps Badges
Corps badges in the American Civil War were originally worn by soldiers of the Union Army on the top of their army forage cap (kepi), left side of the hat, or over their left breast. The idea is attributed to Maj. Gen. Philip Kearny, who ordered the men in his division to sew a two-inch square of red cloth on their hats to avoid confusion on the battlefield. This idea was adopted by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker after he assumed command of the Army of the Potomac, so any soldier could be identified at a distance. Maj. Gen. Daniel Butterfield, Hooker's chief of staff, was assigned the task of designing a distinctive shape for each corps badge. Butterfield also designated that each division in the corps should have a variation of the corps badge in a different color. Division badges were colored as follows: # Red — First division of corps # White — Second division of corps # Blue — Third division of corps These were used in the United States' Army of the Potomac. For the most part, these rules were adopted by other Union Armies, however it was not universal. For example, the XIII Corps never adopted a badge, and the XIX Corps had the first division wear a red badge, the second division wear a blue badge, and the third division wear white. For Army corps that had more than three divisions, the standardization was lost: # Green — Fourth division of VI, IX, and XX Corps # Yellow — Fourth division of XV Corps (reportedly Orange was also used for a 5th Division Badge) # Multicolor — Headquarters or artillery elements (certain corps) The badges for enlisted men were cut from colored cloth, while officer's badges were privately made and of a higher quality. Metallic badges were often made by jewelers and were personalized for the user. The badges eventually became part of the Army regulations and a great source of regimental pride.John D. Billings, Hardtack and Coffee *Corps Badges *Corps Flags : I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV Cavalry Corps *See also *External links Corps Badges File:Icorpsbadge.png|Union Army, I Corps, 1st Division Badge, File:IIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, II Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:IIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, III Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:IVcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, IV Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:Vcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, V Corps, 1st Division Badge File:VIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, VI Corps, 1st Division Badge File:VIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, VII Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:VIIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, VIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:IXcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, IX Corps, 1st Division Badge File:Xcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, X Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:XIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XI Corps, 1st Division Badge File:XIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XII Corps, 1st Division Badge File:XIVcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XIV Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:XVcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XV Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:XVIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XVI Corps, 1st Division Badge File:XVIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XVII Corps, 1st Division Badge File:XVIIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XVIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:XIXcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XIX Corps, 1st Division Badge File:XIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XX Corps, 1st Division Badge File:XXIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XXII Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:XXIIIcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XXIII Corps, 3rd Division Badge File:XXIVcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XXIV Corps, 1st Division Badge File:XXVcorpsbadge.png|Union Army, XXV Corps, 1st Division Badge Corps Flags I Corps, Army of the Potomac II Corps, Army of the Potomac III Corps, Army of the Potomac IV Corps, Army of the Potomac V Corps, Army of the Potomac VI Corps, Army of the Potomac VII Corps, Dept of Arkansas VIII Corps, Middle Department IX Corps, Army of the Potomac X Corps, Department of South XI Corps, Army of the Potomac XII Corps, Army of the Potomac XIII Corps, Army of the Tennessee No badge was designated for the XIII Corps. XIV Corps, Army of the Cumberland XV Corps, Army of the Tennessee XVI Corps, Military Division of West Mississippi XVII Corps, Army of the Tennessee XVIII Corps, Army of the James XIX Corps, Middle Military Division XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland {Note:XX Corps Badges same as the old XII Corps; the XX Corps was consolidated from the XI and XII Corps} XXI Corps XXII Corps, Dept of Washington XXIII Corps, Dept of Ohio & Dept of North Carolina XXIV Corps, Dept of Virginia XXV Corps, Army of the James, Dept of Texas Cavalry Corps Brigade Badges I Corps, Army of the Potomac See also *Major organizations of the Union Army *Kearny Cross References External links *Corps Badges "Emblems Of Pride" *Designs of Civil War Corps Badges * Union Corps Badges Badges